How to Ask for Local Recommendations in Mandarin Chinese: 有什么推荐的？
Learn to ask 'What do you recommend to see?' in Mandarin, understand suggestions, and respond naturally. This lesson focuses on recommendations, not directions, with simplified characters and pinyin.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you want ideas about what to see or do in a place, you need a different question from asking for directions. In Mandarin, the key phrase is 有什么推荐的？ (Yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?), meaning 'What do you recommend?' This lesson teaches you to ask for recommendations, understand the answer, and respond politely. You will practice the verb 推荐 (tuījiàn, to recommend), the question word 什么 (shénme, what), and the particle 的 (de) that turns the verb into 'things recommended'. You will also learn to say 'I want to see...' with 我想看... (Wǒ xiǎng kàn...). By the end, you can start a conversation with a local and get useful suggestions without confusing this with asking for directions.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'What do you recommend to see?' in Mandarin.
- understand and respond to simple recommendations about places to visit.
- use 推荐 (tuījiàn) and 什么 (shénme) in a natural question.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
有什么推荐的？
What do you recommend?
Yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?
General, polite question. Use when you want suggestions for anything: food, sights, activities.
有什么推荐看的地方吗？
Are there any places you recommend seeing?
Yǒu shénme tuījiàn kàn de dìfang ma?
Specifically about places to see. 地方 (dìfang) means 'place'. Adding 吗 (ma) at the end makes it a clear yes/no question.
我想看有名的景点。
I want to see famous scenic spots.
Wǒ xiǎng kàn yǒumíng de jǐngdiǎn.
景点 (jǐngdiǎn) means 'scenic spot'. Use 想 (xiǎng) to express 'want to'.
你可以推荐一下吗？
Could you recommend something?
Nǐ kěyǐ tuījiàn yíxià ma?
Polite request with 可以 (kěyǐ, can/may) and 一下 (yíxià, a bit). Softens the request.
谢谢你的推荐。
Thank you for your recommendation.
Xièxie nǐ de tuījiàn.
A warm thank-you after receiving a suggestion. 推荐 here is a noun.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 有什么 + verb + 的？ (Yǒu shénme + verb + de?). It literally means 'What is there that is [verb]ed?' For example, 有什么推荐的？ (Yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?) = 'What do you recommend?' You can replace 推荐 with other verbs: 有什么好吃的？ (Yǒu shénme hǎo chī de?) = 'What's good to eat?' 有什么好玩的？ (Yǒu shénme hǎo wán de?) = 'What's fun to do?' The 的 (de) at the end turns the phrase into 'things that are...'. This pattern is very common in spoken Mandarin and sounds natural. Note that 有什么推荐的？ is a general question; when you add a specific noun like 地方 (dìfang, place), it is more natural to end with 吗 (ma) to make the question explicit: 有什么推荐看的地方吗？ (Yǒu shénme tuījiàn kàn de dìfang ma?).
When to use it
Use 有什么推荐的？ when you are asking a local person, a friend, or a staff member for suggestions. It is neutral and polite. If you want to be more specific, add a noun and end with 吗 (ma): 有什么推荐看的地方吗？ (Yǒu shénme tuījiàn kàn de dìfang ma?) = 'Are there any places you recommend seeing?' To be extra polite, you can say 你可以推荐一下吗？ (Nǐ kěyǐ tuījiàn yíxià ma?) = 'Could you recommend something?' Avoid using this pattern for directions; for directions, you would ask 怎么走？ (Zěnme zǒu?) = 'How do I get there?' This lesson stays on recommendations.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，有什么推荐看的地方吗？
Hello, are there any places you recommend seeing?Nǐ hǎo, yǒu shénme tuījiàn kàn de dìfang ma?你可以去老城区看看，那里很有名。
You can go take a look at the old town; it's very famous.Nǐ kěyǐ qù lǎo chéngqū kàn kan, nàlǐ hěn yǒumíng.好的，谢谢你的推荐。
Okay, thank you for your recommendation.Hǎo de, xièxie nǐ de tuījiàn.不客气，祝你玩得开心！
You're welcome, have a good time!Bú kèqi, zhù nǐ wán de kāixīn!A little context goes a long way
In Mandarin, asking for recommendations is common and friendly. Using 有什么推荐的？ is neutral and works with strangers, but adding 一下 (yíxià) or 可以 (kěyǐ) makes it softer, especially with people you don't know. When someone recommends something, a simple 谢谢你的推荐 (Xièxie nǐ de tuījiàn) is enough. Avoid directly saying 'I don't like it' if you disagree; instead, you can say 我再想想 (Wǒ zài xiǎngxiang) = 'I'll think about it' to be polite.
One thing to watch for
Using 有什么推荐？ without 的, or confusing it with asking for directions like 怎么走？
Try this instead: The natural phrase is 有什么推荐的？ (Yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?) with 的 at the end. Without 的, it sounds incomplete. Also, do not use this to ask for directions; for directions, say 怎么走？ (Zěnme zǒu?) or 在哪里？ (Zài nǎlǐ?). Example: 有什么推荐的？ (What do you recommend?) vs. 怎么走？ (How do I get there?)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What do you recommend to see?' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
有什么推荐看的地方吗？
This uses the pattern 有什么 + 推荐 + 看 + 的 + 地方 + 吗. It is specific and natural. You could also say 有什么推荐的？ for a general recommendation.
2What does 推荐 (tuījiàn) mean?
Show a sample answer
To recommend.
推荐 is a verb meaning 'to recommend'. It can also be a noun, as in 谢谢你的推荐 (Thank you for your recommendation).
3Translate into Mandarin: 'I want to see famous scenic spots.'
Show a sample answer
我想看有名的景点。
我想看 (Wǒ xiǎng kàn) = 'I want to see'. 有名的 (yǒumíng de) = 'famous'. 景点 (jǐngdiǎn) = 'scenic spot'. You could also say 我想看有名的地方 (Wǒ xiǎng kàn yǒumíng de dìfang) with a similar meaning.
To ask for local recommendations, use 有什么推荐的？ (Yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?) or 有什么推荐看的地方吗？ (Yǒu shénme tuījiàn kàn de dìfang ma?). Remember to add 的 at the end, and keep this separate from asking for directions.
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